The organization did not qualify forwards Luke Adam, Michael Kantor, Michael St. Croix and Chris McCarthy, or defensemen Josh Nicholls and Samuel Noreau.

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A qualifying offer is a one-year contract offer defined by the collective bargaining agreement involving a minimal raise to retain player rights.

A player can sign the offer, or he and the Rangers can use that salary amount as a baseline for negotiations on a longer-term deal.

Players who are qualified won't necessarily be on the team next season. They are still eligible to be traded.

The Rangers have four unrestricted agents from last season's regular NHL roster: Eric Staal, Dominic Moore, Viktor Stalberg and Dan Boyle. Stalberg is the one of those four who is more likely to be re-signed by the Rangers than let go.

GM Jeff Gorton is working to refresh his roster with potentially significant moves and acquisitions of big names, but the NHL's trade market has made matters difficult on all GMs: Player salaries are rising but the salary cap is barely going up at all.

Teams, therefore, are less willing to trade draft picks, and asking prices are reportedly sky-high: The Detroit Free Press reported the St. Louis Blues had asked the Detroit Red Wings to include rising star forward Dylan Larkin in a trade for defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, a totally ridiculous ask considering Larkin's talent and youth and Shattenkirk's one remaining year on his current contract.

Tamp Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos will be the biggest name on the market if he does not re-sign and hits free agency on Friday at noon. But the Rangers are an unlikely suitor since Stamkos is expected to command a salary of at least $10 million per season on a long-term deal.